Toy building block



Oct. 15, 1968 N. l. PAULSON 3,405,479

TOY BUILDING BLOCK Filed April 1, 1966 III:

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1 a n //2 a ,2 i Z0 20 I! r 2 /5 5 5 1 m I w INVENTOR. @ffi A azsaarm United States Patent 0 3,405,479 TOY BUILDING BLOCK Nils I. Paulson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Playskool Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 545,786 11 Claims. (Cl. 4625) The present invention relates to toy building blocks and, more specifically, to a toy bearing building block having improved means for supporting shaft members or the like in desired angular relationship with respect to selected parts of the block. The toy bearing building block constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention finds particularly advantageous utilization in connection with the building block disclosed and claimed in applicants copending application, Ser. No. 470,459, filed July 8, 1965.

The trend in building block construction sets is toward greater versatility and adaptability of the individual units of the set, thereby permitting youngsters to build a wider variety of types of constructions, preferably limited only by the number of units in the set and the imagination of the youngster. If functional parts, such as rods or shafts are to be employed in a toy construction set for use as drive shafts, axles, pinions, pivot posts and the like, suitable support means must be provided for connecting the shafts to the other building blocks in the set. This support means should preferably permit the shafts to be connected in any one of several angular positions with respect to the other blocks, thereby achieving greater versatility and adaptability for the entire set.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and versatile toy building block. More specifically, it is an object to provide a new and improved toy bearing building block which is adapted to support shaft members or the like in desired angular relationship with respect to selected walls of the block. In this latter connection, it is an object to provide such a bearing block wherein the bearing block is adapted to support one or more shaft members or the like in desired angular relationship with respect to each wall of the bearing block and with respect to the corresponding walls of the build ing blocks to which the bearing block may be attached.

Another more specific object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toy bearing building block which is adapted to attach itself to other toy blocks and independently support shaft members or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with its own side walls and with the side walls of the said other toy blocks. Still another more specific object is to provide a new and improved toy bearing building block which is adapted to be attached to other toy blocks and will support a plurality of shaft members or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with respect to each other. A further object is to provide a new and improved toy bearing building block adapted to support a relatively rotatable shaft member or the like in any one of several angular positions with respect to the side walls of the block,

An additional object is to provide such a bearing block which is adapted for use with present toy building blocks which themselves are not adapted to support shaft members.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved toy bearing building block characterized in its simplicity and versatility.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the attached, detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing.

In one form of the present invention, a toy building 3,405,479 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 block is provided which has a main body portion. A plurality of dowels extend from one face of the main body portion and a plurality of dowel sockets having cross sections corresponding to the cross sections of the dowels extend from a second face of the main body portion and are adapted to receive dowels from another building block to connect the two building blocks together. Means are provided which are adapted to support at least one shaft member or the like in desired angular relationship with respect to the main body portion.

The invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a toy building block constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the toy building block shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the toy building block shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially along line 44 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along line 55 in FIG. 2.

While the invention has been shown and will be described with reference to a particular, exemplary embodiment thereof, there is no intention that it be limited to such detail. Quite the contrary, it is intended here to embrace all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, a toy building block 10 is constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention is shown, The exemplary building block 10 is shown as a substantially square building block. However, it will be apparent that this is merely illustrative of one form of the invention and the building block may take any desired form or shape. The building block may be formed of a material such as plastic, having some flexibility. The exemplary building block 10 has a main body portion which includes a substantially square base plate or main wall 11 having four side wall panels 12 extending downwardly (as viewed in FIGS. 3-5) from the peripheral edges of the base plate and disposed in substantially perpendicular relationship therewith. Consequently, the building block 10 is in the form of a hollow, square block which is open at the bottom.

Two rows of engaging elements preferably in the form of dowels 13 are provided in the building block 10. The dowels extend outwardly (upwardly in FIGS. 3-5) from the top or outer face of the base plate 11 and they preferably have substantially circular cross sections, two dowels being provided in each row of the exemplary building block. The dowels may of course have other than circular cross sections, and as used herein the term is intended to include protruding elements of various configurations and cross sections which may frictionally engage in a socket of corresponding shape or size. The building block 10 also has two rows of element-receiving formations preferably in the form of sockets 15 depending from the bottom or inner face of the base plate 11 within the space delimited by the side wall panels 12. The positions of the sockets 15 preferably correspond to the positions of the dowels 13, and the sockets have cross sections corresponding to the cross sections of the dowels so that they may receive and provide a light frictional grip of the dowels 13 of other building blocks and the building blocks may be thus releasably connected together. In the exemplary arrangement, two dowels are provided in each row. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the disclosed exemplary arrangement since it will be readily apparent that any desired number of rows of dowels or sockets may be provided and any desired number of dowels or sockets may be provided in each row. Further details of the dowels 13 and sockets 15 will not be set forth herein. For the purpose of a more detailed description of typical dowels and sockets which may be utilized in conjunction with the building block constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention reference may be made to the copending application Serial No. 470,459.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided which are adapted to support shaft members or the like in desired relationship with selected walls of the building block 10. The shaft members may be rods of circular cross section and thus capable of rotation within the support member. Alternatively, the shaft members may have other cross sectional configurations such as, for example, an ellipse, square, rectangle or triangle.

More specifically, sockets are formed in the building block 10 which are adapted to receive and support shaft members or the like in desired angular relationship with the walls of the building block. In the exemplary arrangement sockets are formed in the building block 10 to support a shaft member or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with the base plate 11 and to support a shaft member or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with each side wall panel 12. The shaft members or the like are preferably supported in such a way that they may be axially rotated relative to the building block.

In the exemplary arrangement, a socket 18 is provided in substantially the center of the building block 10 for supporting a shaft member or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with the base plate 11. The socket 18 is defined by the extremities of four web-like leg members 19 which extend diagonally outwardly of the four dowel sockets 15 toward the center of the base plate 11 and toward the diagonally opposite dowel sockets, as best seen in FIG. 2. Additionally, a substantially circular aperture 11a is formed centrally in the base plate 11 in alignment with the socket 18 to allow for the insertion of a shaft member or the like through the base plate 11. The web-like leg members are not connected to the base plate 11 and are thus free to resiliently yield over their length, threby providing a resilient yieldable grip or engagement of shafts inserted into the socket. The leg members are preferably as wide as possible for strength and so that the shaft may be gripped over a substantial length by the leg member extremities. The aperture 11a may be somewhat larger than the leg member defined socket 18 since this aperture is merely to provide access to the socket. The leg members 19 may be formed integrally with the sockets 15 or may be formed separately and suitably secured thereto.

For the purpose of defining a lateral socket adapted to support a shaft member or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with each side wall 12, a pair of opposed I-shaped legs 20 are provided between each side wall 12 and the central socket 18. These legs 20 are preferably positioned adjacent the side wall and they extend downwardly from the base plate 11 in mating relationship to define a substantially U-shaped lateral socket of a size adapted to receive and frictionally grip a shaft member or the like. The ends of the J-shaped legs 20 are not joined and thus substantial resilience is provided in the lateral socket. Additionally, a substantially U-shaped access aperture 12a is formed in each side wall 12 in alignment with the U-shaped socket formed by the J- shaped legs 20. The legs 20 are wide for strength and for stable gripping of a length of the shaft. As in the case of aperture 11a, access aperture 12a may be somewhat larger than the diameter of the shafts to be received, although in the illustrated embodiment the aperture 12a is intended to provide partial support and for this purpose it is aligned with and of about the same shape and size as the socket formed by legs 20. Finally, as best seen in FIG. 4,

.4 the corners of the extremities of the leg members 19 adjacent the base plate 11 are cut out at 19a, and these out out portions of adjacent leg members effectively provide substantially U-shaped lateral inner sockets which face the four side walls respectively, and these inner sockets align with and are approximately the same shape and size as the sockets formed by legs 20. Accordingly, a composite lateral socket 21 is defined for supporting a shaft or the like in substantially perpendicular relationship with each side wall 12. Moreover, the sockets 21 of diametrically opposed side walls 12 are in alignment. Thus, a shaft or the like may be extended throughout the U-shaped aperture 12a in one of the side walls 12, may be extended through an associated U-shaped socket defined by the I-shaped legs 20, may be extended through the aligned substantially U-shaped openings defined by the legs 19, may be extended through the U- shaped socket defined by the J-shaped legs 20 associated with the opposed side wall 12 and may be extended through the U-shaped aperture 12:: provided in the opposed side wall 12. Alternatively, a separate shaft or the like may be extended into the socket 21 associated with each of the four opposed side walls 12.

Thus, the exemplary building block 10 is adapted to receive and support a shaft member or the like in sub stantially perpendicular relationship with the face plate or main wall 11 and in substantially perpendicular relationship with each of the side walls 12. It will be apparent that shaft members or the like may be supported in perpendicular relationship with any selected number of walls of the building block 10. However, it will be apparent that if a shaft member or the like is received and supported in the socket 18 defined by the legs 19, shaft members or the like extended into the composite sockets 21 associated with the side walls 12 may only be extended therein until the shaft member or the like received and supported in the socket 18 is engaged thereby. On the other hand, it will be apparent that, if a shaft member or the like is extended through the aligned composite sockets 21 associated with opposed side walls 12 of the building block 10, a shaft member or the like cannot be received and supported in the socket 18 defined by the legs 19.

In view of the foregoing, it will be readily seen that a new and improved building block has been provided. More specifically, it will be apparent that a new and improved bearing building block has been provided which is adapted to support shaft members or the like in desired angular relationship with selected walls of the main body portion of the building block.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy building block, the combination which comprises a main body portion, a plurality of engaging elements extending outwardly from a first face of said main body portion, a plurality of element receiving formations on said main body portion and adapted to receive and releasably engage the elements from another building block to secure the blocks together, and means including at least one socket intermediate said element receiving formations for supporting at least one shaft in desired angular relationship with the main body portion.

2. The toy building block as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second faces are on opposed sides of the main body portion and wherein the means includes a socket adapted to receive and support a shaft in substantially perpendicular relationship with the faces.

3. The toy building block as recited in claim 2 wherein the shaft socket is defined by legs extending from said element receiving formations.

4. The toy building block as recited in claim 2 wherein the shaft socket is defined by legs formed integrally with and extending from said element receiving formations and wherein an opening is formed in the main body portion in alignment with the shaft socket.

5. The toy building block as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second faces are on opposed sides of the main body portion and wherein the means includes at least one socket for receiving and supporting an equal number of shafts in parallel relationship with the faces.

6. The toy building block as recited in claim 1 wherein the main body portion has a main wall which has the first and second faces disposed on opposed sides thereof, wherein the main body portion has side walls disposed in substantially perpendicular relationship with the main wall, and wherein the means includes a socket associated with each side wall which is adapted to receive and support a shaft in substantially perpendicular relationship with the side wall.

7. The toy building block as recited in claim 6 wherein each shaft socket is at least partially defined by legs extending from said element receiving formations.

8. The toy building block as recited in claim 6 wherein each shaft socket is defined by legs formed integrally with and extending from said element receiving formations and by an aperture formed in the associated side wall.

9. In a toy building block, the combination which comprises a hollow, rectangular main body portion having an apertured main wall and four upstanding side walls at least one of which is apertured, a plurality of dowels extending from a first face of the main wall, a plurality of dowel sockets extending from a second face of the main wall and adapted to receive dowels from another building block to secure the blocks together, and plurality of Web-like legs extending from the dowel sockets and converging centrally to define at least partially a socket aligned with the aperture in each apertured wall of the main body portion for receiving and supporting a shaft in substantially perpendicular relationship with that particular wall.

10. The toy building block as recited in claim 9 wherein the shaft socket associated with the main wall is defined by the legs extending from dowel sockets, wherein the main wall has an opening formed therein aligned with the associated shaft socket, and wherein the shaft socket associated with each apertured side wall is defined by the first mentioned legs, by second legs extending from dowel sockets and by the apertures formed in the particular side wall.

11. The toy building block as recited in claim 10 wherein the first legs extend toward diagonally opposite dowels and the second legs extend parallel with the side walls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,233,358 2/1966 Dehm 46-25 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,051,087 12/ 1966 Great Britain.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TOY BUILDING BLOCK, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES A MAIN BODY PORTION, A PLURALITY OF ENGAGING ELEMENTS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM A FIRST FACE OF SAID MAIN BODY PORTION, A PLURALITY OF ELEMENT RECEIVING FORMATIONS ON SAID MAIN BODY PORTION AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND RELEASABLY ENGAGE THE ELEMENTS FROM ANOTHER BUILDING BLOCK TO SECURE THE BLOCKS TOGETHER, AND MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SOCKET INTERMEDIATE SAID ELEMENT RECEIVING FORMATIONS FOR SUPPORTING AT LEAST ONE SHAFT IN DESIRED ANGULAR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE MAIN BODY PORTION. 